Address:
376-15 Tsuchizaka, Yamagata-shi, Yamagata 990-2405

Access:
20 minutes’ drive from JR Yamagata Station

Notes:
The snowmobile experience needs to be booked in advance

I love the winter. That’s because something in the winter is different to other times.
In cold winters, people’s kindness is like the warmth of family. I feel happier than normal.

The peak of the mountain we reached by ropeway was the coldest place so far.
The trees were covered in lots of snow and ice, and didn’t look like trees at all.
The snow changes the appearance of everything.
And the snow itself will change into something special.

Wearing traditional foot and leg protectors made from rope and wood, I walked on top of the deep snow.
Wearing this handmade footwear, it was easy to walk on top of the snow.
Though I did sometimes fall over.
Since I like snow, I slowly picked myself up, and continued walking through the pure-white world.

The man who was my guide stayed with me the whole time.
He brought me to the “snow monsters” (trees so covered in snow they look like monsters), and let me hold the lump of snow of a snow monster known as a “shrimp’s tail.”

The udon noodles we ate at the rest-stop at the top of the mountain had a nostalgic flavor. It was a warm, happy taste.

“Are you PIMTHA?” a voice said, in Thai.
I looked around to see a Thai father and his cute daughter.
They knew who I was, and we took a photo together.
It was a nice surprise in a place that was minus 17 degrees.

I’ve tried to challenge myself by going to driving school three times in Thailand, but I’ve always fail.
That someone like me could enjoy a snowmobile…!

The snowmobile coach was like a father helping someone learning how to ride a bicycle for the first time.
“Calm down and relax,” he said, and my body, which had been tense, suddenly lightened.
“Okay, go!” he told me, and in my head I replied, “Got it, Dad, I’m going now!”

When I rode the snowmobile I felt free.
The snow was very soft, and always caught me.
I could go anywhere I wanted to.

What kinds of snow have you seen before?
The snow in Tohoku has now become something special to me.

It’s very cold here, and the snow is very deep.
It took a bit of courage to come here.
But I haven’t been lonely here.

The people who live with this snow welcome you like family.
And, along with the beautiful snow of Tohoku, you will surely have an unforgettable trip.